What If Challenge: 3 Fluffy One Shots
by GoingToCalifornia
Summary: Challenge from the forums. Three one shots, all NB, spread over a period of time. Magician, Promise, Painter. I promise it's better than this summary sounds.
1. Magician

**A/N: This is a challenge from the forums set by _"I'm happy on the Inside Really"_ under the title _"What If..."_ I have chosen three titles but will be posting them all in this story as seperate one shots so it will end up like 3 one shoots, all Blair and Nate... as if there is another coupe. Please review!!! Also this first one is Magician, if you couldn't guess and I know it's kinda of cheesey and flawed in that Blair, Nate and Jenny are all based on their book characters, but Dan is more based on the show character and this particular chapter does fit quite nicely into the book series. So please enjoy...**

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Blair sat on the cold back step hiding from everyone. He saw her sitting there, but he didn't know why. He watched her; she shivered, she sniffed and she might have even been crying as she sat chain smoking. Dan was too afraid to go up to her; after all, she was Blair Waldorf. He watched as she tried in vain to light another one of her imported cigarettes.

"Here," he held out his lighter. She took it without returning her thanks. She took a long drag.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him in a haughty tone.

"I- I just came, my sister's here."

"You came to a party with your ninth-grade sister?"

"You came to a party and sat alone outside?"

"Shut up." She commanded and he did, he knew he'd crossed a line. They both sat in silence for a time.

"I heard you got Yale, congratulations."

"I didn't," she blew smoke rings in a way she hoped looked sophisticated.

"What? I thought you were certain?"

"Yes; because I'm Blair Waldorf I'm going to Yale, I'm majoring in Law, I'm marrying Nate and living happily ever after." She shouted at him angrily her eyes dancing with fire. "These things don't just come with the zip-code you know; you have to have the charm too."

Dan looked at her as she dropped her cigarette and began crying into her hands. He put his arm around her. "I didn't mean to upset you..."

"Then get me off the fucking wait-list and make Nate come back to me!" She shouted as angry tears fell down her face.

"Wait-list?" Dan asked suddenly. "Blair, like, everyone on the wait-list gets in."

"Oh yeah? Only loser's without boyfriend's go on the wait-list."

"Well then there's been a mistake; Blair Waldorf is no loser and no matter how much it seems like Nate doesn't love you; he does."

"No he doesn't he has Yale _and_ Serena has Yale and everyone knows that dumb and dumber attract."

"Trust me I know about guys and I can tell that as much of an asshole prep Nate is, he broke my sister's heart because he was heartbroken over you; he and Serena are just friends. He will always be hurting for you. As for Yale, I bet you'll hear before July. I know you're in."

"That would take a fucking miracle."

"Well then call me a magician because I know it will work out; like you said you're Blair Waldorf."

* * *

"Blair?"

"Nate?" Blair jumped to her feet as Nate stood in the doorway, she completely forgot about Dan.

"I've been looking all over for you. What are you doing out here?" He gave Dan an uneasy look.

"You seemed pretty happy with Serena," she said coolly.

"I'd be happier if you came back in," he stretched his hand out and she hesitated but took it. He pulled her close and kissed her cheek.

"Natie, take me home," she said remembering that night when they were thirteen and he had taken her home after one of her first alcohol-involved parties. That was before his stoner days, but still during his Halo fixation. She'd sat up and watched him play for a while and then she'd just kissed him and they both got so carried away making out, that she'd cured him of his Halo addiction.

"Of course," Nate pulled her close and walked her through the party, the crowd was full of assholes wearing sweatshirts of the various Ivy-League schools they'd gotten acceptance letters to that day. None of these schools had accepted Blair, despite the fact that she was number one in her class and had a perfect GPA. He hailed them a cab and climbed in after her, she neglected the seatbelt and instead fell into his chest, he suddenly felt very grown up and put his arm protectively around her.

"I love you," he whispered.

"More than Serena?" She asked looking into his green eyes.

"I don't love Serena like that; she's like my sister, I love you much, much more."

"Good, 'cause I love you too," she said sleepily into his lacrosse polo. She liked that he'd been kind enough not to wear his Yale sweatshirt; she didn't think she'd be able to bear it. "You know, we don't have to go to college, we could go sailing forever and then nobody would care that I hadn't gone to Yale."

"I like sailing," Nate said simply as he enjoyed the sensation of Blair's body against his.

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Dan hadn't stayed much longer and had headed home long before his little sister. He was walking along 59th Street, crossing from the East side to the West side when his phone beeped, signalling a text. He looked at it. He didn't recognize the number, but he could guess. _"Thank U Magician. xoxo." _

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**A/N: Ok I know it's a cheesy ending, but I'm still going to beg for a review, they make my day! Moreover I promise I am not procrastinating, I'm still working on my other stories!**


	2. Promise

**A/N: Thank you for the interest and I hope you continue to enjoy the drabbles. This one is set approximately 3 years later. Please read and review. **

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It was the last week of summer before Blair headed back to Yale for her final year of studying law. Nate was still in the city working his ass off for his father; with very little reward. Serena was just being Serena, a smile here and ball gown there; she survived as Manhattan's 'It' girl and occasionally had a short guest role in a movie, but spent most of the time at galas and fundraisers wearing the most fabulous dresses that designers had made for her.

It was at one of Serena's infamous gatherings that Blair and Nate re-entered the same room for the first time since the beginning of last summer when their precarious long distance relationship had officially ended. Nate and Blair had reconciled at the end of freshmen year after his exploits at sea. They had gone back to being the perfect couple; only even more infatuated because Nate seemed to have done a lot of growing up. Blair too was growing up and as she grew up she realized how dependent she was on him and how much that restricted her. He too was fed up of only seeing her fleetingly during holidays and the odd weekend, what was there between them? It hadn't felt like much.

At least it hadn't felt like much until she saw him standing there, sexily brooding against a wall; dressed in the most perfect Dolce and Gabbana suit. She felt her heart flutter as he gazed back at her in amazement, marvelling at how perfect the silk tulle Giambattista Valli gown looked on her petit frame, shrouded by her dark locks. He smiled at her amicably and wandered over.

"Hey," he grinned. She smiled back warmly; he was still her friend even if they'd lost everything else.

"Hey."

"What's up?"

"I - I'm going back to school next week."

"Next week?" Nate asked in alarm and she nodded. "Guess we don't have long to hang out then."

"Nate," she said in a warning voice, her brow furrowing and a scared look crossing her face. She was going to reprimand him but she stopped and there was an awkward silence.

"I've missed you Blair."

"That's what you said last year," she said snidely. Nate was on the verge of pouring his heart out but stopped.

"Look how that ended up," he joked and Blair smiled. Just then they were called to dinner. "Can I at least escort you to dinner, or have I been replaced?"

"Nobody ever replaces their first love," Blair said in a matter of fact tone and Nate nodded as he always did when Blair gave him a rule he had to remember and took her arm in his.

Through dinner they sat side by side, although they didn't speak much. Nate was caught up in a conversation to his left and Blair was in one to her right. The conversation at Nate's end of the table slowly turned and he found himself eavesdropping on Blair.

"Well, I was planning to do a PhD in international law, you see I did this internship at the American Embassy in Paris and it's something I'm interested in."

"So you're thinking of going to Europe?"

"Most definitely," Blair smiled happily as if her life had just spanned out the way she had wanted it.

Nate had known about the internship in Paris; she'd talked to him about it a lot when she had returned and he could tell by the enthusiasm in her voice that she had had the best possible time. It had never occurred to him that she would pursue it. It had never occurred to him that she would live anywhere other than New York. Weren't they just playing a waiting game? He hadn't really envisioned what life was going to be like now; obviously Blair had. Blair had always liked plans, he had never really gone mad about them, but he liked that it was there. At least somebody knew where he was going. Now Blair had made a new plan, which wasn't featuring him and she was happy. Nate tried to switch off, but he couldn't help but hear Blair's excited gushes of laughter and the other few vague mentions that touched on her future career.

After dinner Nate waited until he saw Blair heading to the ladies, he waited outside for her. He knew exactly what was taking her so long and sure enough when she came out her lip gloss was smudged and her eyes looked watery.

"I only started again last summer," she whispered tearfully.

He took her hand and she smiled at him weakly. "Come on," he said hoarsely, winking at her.

She didn't even think as he jerked his head towards the balcony and tugged her hand firmly. She followed him through the crowd; holding his hand desperately tight. That was what she needed after episodes like that, a firm hand to hold hers. It was more reassuring than a hug and less awkward than a kiss that tasted of sick.

He pushed the door open and the cool air whipped Blair's long hair upwards like a dark haired angel's. "I want to show you something," Nate said taking both of her hands and leading her to the side of the balcony.

They were 35 floors above street level and the lights below twinkled like an explosion of stars. He took her to the edge and simply surveyed the city. "Don't you love it?" He asked quietly looking at her and she nodded silently as she stared down. They stood in silence for a time. "How can you bare to leave it?"

"I've got to finish school," Blair said quietly as she fiddled with her fingers.

Nate looked at her again. "Do you really want to go to Europe?" He asked abruptly leaning back from the railings in a carefree manner.

She looked up at him uncertainly.

"It's only a six hour flight, you'll never escape me."

Her lips broke into a tiny frozen smile.

"I don't think I can do this whole thing without you."

"I've missed you Nate," she whispered. "I want to be us again."

Nate enveloped her in a hug and she let his warmth radiate her. "We can be, this week, the holidays, spring, next summer and then forever. Even if you go to Europe I promise I'll come too."

"Cross your heart and kiss your elbow?"

"Of course; now what do you say to ditching this party and having our own party?"

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**A/N: PLEASE Review! I'll love you as much as Blair loves Nate forever! **


	3. Painter

"I need to get going," Blair said as she and Serena exited Barneys. "Nate's been supervising the decorators in the nursery all day and I want to see it." Blair smiled excitedly.

"Look at you!" Serena laughed. "Anyone would think you were excited about this baby."

Blair smiled to herself, maybe she was excited. She always knew she and Nate would have children together and now it finally felt real. "Well maybe I am."

"I don't get why you don't want to practice with Daisy, you know let me sleep for a few hours," Serena hinted for about the millionth time that day, but to no avail.

"She's not a baby anymore, she's nearly two. Plus she's very sticky."

"All babies are 'sticky'.""I wasn't."

"I bet Nate was."

"Yes, but that doesn't matter because it's a girl."

"Aww; a baby Blair," Serena cooed tossing her head back and laughing as she drapped an arm over Blair's shoulders in a friendly way. Blair laughed as they began to head uptown carrying the numerous bags of baby things. "So what color is the nursery?"

"A light yellow, it's almost kind of white," Blair smiled day dreaming about the perfect second bedroom of their penthouse. "And we've got Yale's heir-loom bassinet that you gave her all unwrapped and daddy has sent the cutest things ever, even Nate thought they were adorable."

"Yeah, it's all cute now; wait until you're wrestling it off the little angel all covered in sick in the middle of the night."

Blair's lips pursed. Not all babies did that, did they? Maybe they would get a nanny after all; she didn't much want to do the whole nappy thing either.

"I thought we agreed no pink?" Blair said arriving in the Archibald's second bedroom; pouting as she looked at the pastel pink walls of the soon-to-be nursery.

"We did." Nate agreed.

"Care to explain why it's pink?" She crossed her arms over her protruding stomach.

"Can I help it if I'm excited about our baby girl?" Nate asked kissing Blair's cheek and wrapping his arms around her. "I know you wanted the flowery yellow-white-"

"Daffodil White," Blair corrected.

"Yeah, that, but the decorators agreed with me. A baby girl needs a pink room. Besides, there's not actually that much pink on the walls and the heir-loom bassinet thingy would have looked out of place in a yellow nursery."

"But-"

"Don't you like it?" Nate asked worriedly.

"Of course I like it Natie," she kissed him delicately. "And the baby loves it too." Nate smiled and sure enough it was kicking under Blair's navy sweater.

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"Shh…. Mommy's here," Blair cooed stroking her little girl's head as she lay in her bassinet, her face screwed up in anguish. Blair lifted her gently and re-arranged her blankets which were tangled around the infant. "Go back to sleep," Blair whispered. The child quietened as Blair held her close and she listened to her little sniffles and baby breaths. Her little fingers clasped tightly around Blair's right ring finger where her ruby ring still glittered. Blair stood for a while longer as Gabrielle whimpered from exhaustion in her arms and began to doze off.

"Blair?" Nate arrived in the doorway his hair was floppy and he was rubbing his eyes. "Is she OK?"

"Yeah, she just woke up a little," Blair said cradling her gently in her arms. Nate came and stood beside her and snaked his arm around her waist. They both stood in exhausted silence until they were convinced she was completely asleep.

"She's so perfect," Nate whispered and Blair nodded as she laid her back into the heir-loom bassinet surrounded by the soft white blankets and pink ribbons.

"You know, I do like the pink; you were right."

"That's why you love me," Nate kissed her and she giggled and Gabrielle stirred slightly again.

"Oh," Blair gasped and bent over the bassinet, but Gabrielle was still asleep. "Let's go back to bed," Blair whispered tugging Nate's arm away from their daughter and he reluctantly followed her.


End file.
